Clothing of high aesthetic or collector value is often put on public display for decorative or exhibition purposes. Several devices can be used to display clothing. Since the size, weight, and shape of clothing varies greatly, the various display solutions have varying applicability for any given garment.
For example, for certain styles of clothing, a mannequin is a suitable display device. Mannequins are especially suitable where the worn shape of the garment is of primary aesthetic importance. This is often the case for highly elaborate garments or garments that are on a sale display for potential wearers. However, mannequins are typically located on a floor, shelf, or podium and take up significant space on whatever surface they are placed.
Sometimes, the worn shape of a garment is of little importance compared to the colors, fabric, and writing on the garment. For example, athletic jerseys convey almost all of their virtues as aesthetic and collectable pieces when displayed in a flat hanging orientation. This orientation allows a viewer to immediately appreciate the athletic team and athlete associated with the jersey, as well as the attractive coloration and fabric of the jersey. The flat, hanging orientation is also an appealing display option because it takes up no floor space.
Several solutions exist for hanging garments from walls or ceilings. One solution is clothes hangers designed for storage. These have several drawbacks. Firstly, they are often too narrow to display all of the important information on the jersey or garment. The narrowness also detracts from the aesthetic quality of the display position because it creates folds at the edges of the hanger. Furthermore, some storage hangers have a curved profile, which also results in an unappealing hanging orientation. The size and shape of storage hangers are also not adjustable, so they cannot be adjusted to ideally conform to the garment they are hanging. Finally, the storage hangers themselves are usually not aesthetically pleasing which detracts from the appearance and overall impression of the garment display.
More sophisticated solutions include devices that are shape-adjustable but retain their shape by wire tension once adjusted. Such designs are inherently not size-adjustable because the wire is of a preset length. Furthermore, these devices are susceptible to losing their tension over time which makes them unsuitable for long-term display. Some garment hanging solutions are shape-adjustable in three dimensions. This may seem like an appealing feature, but is not ideal for flat hanging garments because it is difficult to set and retain those devices in a perfectly flat orientation. Any non-planar bends in their structure during display will detract from the display's appearance. Many of these shape-adjustable designs also have discontinuities at their adjustment joints. When the garment hangs on these joints, the joints can create visible unevenness and detract from the appearance of the display.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device that allows for superior display of garments by wall hanging or suspension. For aesthetic purposes, the device should be designed to keep the garments flat. Furthermore, it should be size and shape adjustable to display a wide variety of garments in an ideal orientation. Despite this adjustability, the device should provide an even support surface for the garments in multiple positions. The device should also be extendable to a large size to accommodate large garments and maximize the displayed area of garments on display. The device should also be durable and capable of retaining its shape for long periods of display. Finally, the display device itself should have a high quality, purpose-built appearance so as to not detract from the garment display as a whole.